A Different Kind of Life
by crazyabouthp17
Summary: Hermione Granger has lived a different kind of life to the one she was destined for. She has friends and she has a family, but she will never forget what she's lost. What happens when the life she has and the life she was supposed to live collide? How will she choose between the loves of her life and the people who have stopped at nothing to bring her home?


**Hi! This is a new story, focused on James/Hermione/Sirius, following up on the interest from my other story, Thrown Back. I've not got very far with it, but I just wanted to see whether there was any interest. This is as if Hermione travelled back in 3rd year and lived her Hogwarts life with the Marauders. Thank you for reading - let me know what you think x**

"Come on, we're going to be late!" James shouts up the stairs.

"Will you keep your pants on?" Hermione says as she slides down the banister, her trunk bouncing along behind her. "Merlin's Beard, James, you aren't half fussy today."

"Oh, shut it, you," James says, sticking his tongue out at her. "I want to see the boys."

"And you think I don't?" she laughs, pinning her bushy hair up in a bun. "It's been six weeks since we've heard anything from Remus, I'm missing the intelligent company."

"Excuse you," he says. "I am extremely intelligent."

"You keep telling yourself that, love," she says, patting his face. "Now, I thought we were running late?"

"Yes, but-" James trails off. "I keep forgetting that Sirius isn't here."

"You boys," Hermione says, rolling her eyes. "He's been gone three hours, max. And you're going to see him in 10 minutes."

"I know," James says. "I'm just worried about him. I wish he hadn't forgotten that stupid sweater."

"I know," Hermione says, putting a hand on his arm. "I'm worried about him too. But he'll be fine. We'll be back with him any second now."

"You've got a cool head, Granger," James says, throwing his arm around her. "Guess it's just one of the reasons why I keep you around."

"Oh please," Hermione scoffs. "You'd have died ten times over without me."

"Yeah, but somehow I think I'm more reckless because I know you're there," he laughs.

Just then, the front door opens and Fleamont sticks his head in. "Will you two hurry up?" he says sharply. "You're going to miss the train at this rate."

Hermione squeaks, waves her wand and sends her trunk flying out to the car. "Sorry, Dad," she says.

"Don't give me that," Fleamont says. "I know you're just as bad as him, Hermione, now get in the car."

"Fine," Hermione laughs, sticking her tongue out at James as she goes.

"Taking her in was one of the best things we ever did, huh?" James says to his dad as they walk out to the car.

"I'd say so," Fleamont says. "Now get in the car, boy, before you miss the first day of your final year."

"Oh Remus," Hermione says, falling onto his lap as they enter their compartment. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," he laughs, hugging her tightly and rolling her into the seat beside him.

"Have you read our new textbook yet?" she asks, already rummaging in her bag.

"Oh, behave, Granger," James says, his eyes firmly fixed on the door. "At least wait until Sirius gets here."

"He'll be here, James," Hermione says, dropping her bag to the floor and bouncing over to sit beside him. "Please try not to worry." She reaches out and squeezes his hand; after a moment, he squeezes it back gratefully.

"Wait what am I missing?" Remus asks. "Peter's not here either – they're always running late, both of them."

"Sirius spent the last four weeks of the summer at ours," James says. "But he had to go back to his house this morning to pick something up and-"

"Peter!" Hermione shouts as the plump boy walks past their compartment.

"Thanks, Hermione," Peter says, slipping in through the door. "I've already walked up and down this train twice, I can't think how I didn't see you."

"You're in a world of your own, Wormtail," Remus says, ruffling the shorter boy's hair. "Good summer?"

"Yes, thank you," Peter says. "You?" He looks around the compartment, as if he's seeing it for the first time, and asks, "Where's Padfoot?"

"Late," Hermione says. "I'm going to see if he's on the platform, this is getting ridiculous."

"I thought you were being Miss Calm and Collected today," James snaps. "Right, I'm going to walk up and down the train and see if Regulus is here. He'll know what's going on."

"Wait here," Hermione says to Remus and Peter. "It's possible we're going to pass each other."

"Do not get off the train," Remus says firmly. "Either of you. We've only got 2 minutes before the train is supposed to leave, and you getting left behind is not going to help him."

"Fine, fine," Hermione says, getting up and opening the door of the compartment. Before she can go any further, however, Sirius is there. Regulus carries him to the nearest seat, nods to the boys and then disappears.

"Oh, Sirius, what happened?" Hermione asks, pushing his head back so she can get a good look at the cut over his eye. "Did your mother do this?"

"That woman," Sirius says, sitting up and spitting blood onto the floor, "is not my mother. She can burn in hell."

"Oh, stop that," Hermione says, handing him her handkerchief. "It's disgusting. What happened?"

"Regulus let me in, and I got my jumper, but she caught me on my way out," he says, wincing as Hermione waves her wand and heals his face. "If you mess up my face, I swear-"

"As if I would," she scoffs. "I've been healing you boys since I was 14 years old, I can manage a couple of cuts. Where's your trunk?"

"Regulus put it in a rack," Sirius says, spitting into the handkerchief again. "At the Slytherin end."

"Oh Merlin," Hermione says, turning to Remus. "Moony, will you fetch it before Mulciber throws it off the train?"

"On it," Remus says, disappearing out of the compartment.

"Look at me," Hermione says, taking Sirius's face in her hands. "There. As beautiful as ever."

"You're too kind," he laughs, kissing her on the nose and pulling her onto his lap. "Lighten up, Prongs, I'm fine."

Hermione turns to look at James; he is white as a sheet, his hands are balled into fists so tight his knuckles are white and he hasn't moved since Sirius entered. "James," she says gently. "Come on, love, he's fine. I've mended him."

"Yeah," James says, clearly still a little out of it. "Yeah, alright."

"Good," Sirius says, throwing his legs across Hermione's lap and turning to Peter. "How are you, Wormtail? Good summer?"

"Yes," Peter says, his reedy voice breaking in his excitement. "Mum bought me a new wand."

"Oh, that's great," James says, brightening a little. "You really needed it after that…"

"We won't talk about that," Hermione says, but she's laughing.

"James, how are you feeling about seeing Lily?" Peter asks and Sirius grins a little wider.

"Good question, Wormy," Sirius says. "You haven't been raving about her this summer – another pretty girl caught your eye?" Hermione laughs, batting her eyelashes at James, and then she leans in and kisses Sirius on the cheek; he turns his head and catches her lips with his, biting down eagerly.

"Down boy," Hermione laughs, pulling away and turning back to James. "Seriously though, are you nervous?"

"I'm really not," James says honestly. "I'm looking forward to seeing her, because she's my friend, but…I really think I've moved past that whole-"

"Crush?" Hermione suggests.

"Infatuation?" Peter puts in, smirking.

"Obsession?" Sirius adds, grinning at his brother. "Well this is good news – you're back on the market."

"I wouldn't go that far," James laughs. "It's final year, I should just settle down and work."

"Oh, boring," Sirius says disapprovingly, as he tips Hermione off his lap. "You've been spending too much time with this one."

"Well I think it's a great attitude," Hermione says, moving to sit next to a laughing Peter.

"Well I think," Sirius says mockingly. "It won't last, Prongs, and when you get bored with being a good little Head Boy, we've always got room in our relationship. Right, Granger?"

"Are you suggesting that we have a threesome, Padfoot?" James says, pretending to be scandalised.

"Well, whatever you're into, Prongs, but no," Sirius laughs, winking at him. "All I meant is that I'm open to sharing."

"And do I get a say in this?" Hermione asks, throwing her wand at Sirius; he catches it in mid-air and sends it flying back to her, where it hits Peter square on.

"You know you want a piece of this," James says, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"Well I'll never say no to you, love," she laughs. "Where is Remus with that trunk?"

"Here," Remus says, struggling in the door and throwing it onto Sirius's lap. "You're lucky – Mulciber and Nott had hold of it when I got there."

"My hero," Sirius says, seizing Remus and kissing both of his cheeks. "How can I ever repay you, my lord?"

"Oh, the usual," Remus says drily. "Chocolates, flowers, slave for a week."

"You know you have a favourite of those three and it's not the slave," Hermione says, delving into her bag and throwing a bar of chocolate at Remus, who grins and digs in.

"Oh, share," Peter says, holding out his hand for Remus to throw some. The teenage werewolf does so; Peter fills his usual role and watches it fly through his fingers and land on the floor.

"Five second rule," they all chorus, laughing as Peter dives for the floor and gobbles it up.

"Honestly, Peter, you could have just asked for another piece," Remus chuckles. "Now, shouldn't we be going?"

"Going where?" Sirius asks.

"Oh Merlin's pants," Hermione says. "I completely forgot – James and I need to be in the Prefects' compartment to introduce ourselves."

"Oh yes," Sirius says. "I wonder how Lily will take you getting Head Girl over her."

"Badly?" Hermione guesses, rolling her eyes. "To be honest, I could not care less."

"Yes, well your…contempt for Evans is well known," Remus says. "But she's really never recovered from you beating her in the OWLs."

"By one letter grade," Hermione says. "It doesn't matter, we're both going to get good NEWTs and good jobs. She's just so petty, it's...sorry, James, I know you like her."

"I never really got why you didn't," James says.

"Honestly, I don't dislike her," Hermione says, ignoring the snorts from Sirius and Remus. "I don't! It's just…she openly hates me, and she's very rude about you, and I don't like it. So here we stand."

"Well maybe this year you can put an end to your feud," James says, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Come on, let's go meet all of the nervous little Prefects. Come on Remus."

At about 2pm, the five of them are lounging around, exchanging summer stories, when the compartment door slides open and the girls slip inside.

"Hello, everyone," Lily says. "Thought we'd just come say hi."

"Hi," Hermione says, not moving from her place on Sirius's lap. "Cass, Marlene, Alice – good summers?"

"Yeah, really lovely," Alice says brightly. "Frank proposed!"

"No!" Hermione squeals, sitting bolt upright. "Oh Merlin, Alice, that's amazing news."

"Thank you," Alice laughs, accepting Hermione's hug. Now that she's up, Hermione also hugs Marlene and Dorcas, before moving to sit beside James.

"How was your summer, James?" Lily asks.

"Good," James says, glancing to Hermione and Sirius. "We had a great summer, didn't we?"

"It was lovely," Hermione agrees. "Oh my God, Sirius, you haven't told everyone about your motorbike."

"Oh it was amazing," Sirius says, launching into a long tale about his brand-new second-hand motorbike. Lily's eyes, however, are on James and Hermione; as they listen to Sirius talk, Hermione leans into James's side. As natural as breathing, he shifts to make her more comfortable, putting an arm around her shoulder and glancing down to brush a piece of hair off her face. She smiles up at him before her eyes shift back to Sirius.

"What about you, Lily?" Remus asks as Sirius finally finishes. "How are your family?"

"Fine," Lily says. "Petunia is getting married, which is probably for the best for me. We haven't been close for a long time but…well I don't know yet if she's even going to invite me to the wedding."

"Oh, Lily, I'm sorry," Hermione says genuinely. "That's awful."

"Thank you," Lily says. "Plus, Severus is still hanging around whenever I go home. I'm probably going to stay here for Christmas and Easter."

"Do you want us to have a word?" Sirius asks menacingly; Remus rolls his eyes and puts his hand on the black-haired boy's chest.

"Calm down, Pads," he says wisely. " _Do_ you want us to have a word, Lily?"

"No, no, it will all work itself out," she says. "Thank you though."

"I'm not one for advice usually," Hermione says, once again ignoring the snorts of the boys. "And I know you and I aren't close. And I'm certainly not one to think you should monitor your behaviour based on what someone else is doing. Having said all that, you should know that Snape doesn't go home for the holidays, not unless he's forced to. If you want to see your parents, you should be safe at Christmas."

For a moment, Lily doesn't speak, her eyes still on James's arm. Then her whole face visibly softens and she nods. "Thank you, Hermione," she says softly. "That's good to know."

"Sure," Hermione says warmly. "So, Alice, have you started planning yet?"

After a while, the girls have gone back to the compartment and the boys are changing into their robes. Hermione has stepped out to the bathroom, to change in private, and when she returns, she has three Slytherins on her tail.

"Look who's decided to grace us with their presence," Hermione says drily. "A pleasure as always, boys."

"Enchanting as usual, Miss Granger," Nott says, his lip curling. "Such a shame you choose to run around with these buffoons."

"Now, now," Hermione says. "Where are those lovely Pureblood manners?"

"Not like you'd know anything about it," Mulciber snarls, but Sirius interrupts.

"What do you want, Nott?" he asks sharply. "Why are you here?"

"No particular reason," Nott scoffs. "Just came to check on the dream team, make sure your heads hadn't swollen anymore over the summer."

"Good one," James says sarcastically. "I'd rather be big-headed than butt-ugly."

"Oh, behave, all of you," Hermione says, rolling her eyes. "We don't want any trouble, not before the term's even started."

"You're always looking for trouble," Avery says drily. Hermione smirks, but otherwise ignores the comment, her eyes still on Mulciber, who is eyeing her up.

"See something you like?" she asks loudly.

"As if a filthy Mudblood like you could ever catch my eye," Mulciber replies haughtily. Immediately, there is a furious response in the room.

"Oi!" James and Remus both shout, catching hold of Sirius as he lunges for the boy.

"You watch your mouth," Sirius warns. "I won't tell you again, Mulciber, we've had this conversation before."

"I'm not scared of you, Black," Mulciber snarls. "You're a stain on your family name."

"And proud of it," Sirius says. "You want to insult me, Mulciber, you're going to need to try a little bit harder."

"Yes," James says drily. "Go after his hair, he hates that."

"Shut up, Prongs," Hermione says. "Look, boys, how about you move along? We really don't need a fight, not now."

"You need to get off your high horse, Miss Granger," Nott snaps. "You're just as scrappy as the rest of us and don't think we'll forget it any time soon."

"You may well be right, Nott," Hermione says. "But maybe we all need to grow up a little bit, eh?"

"This is the worst showdown ever," Sirius complains. "If we're not going to do this, will you just piss off? We're busy."

"Doing what?" Mulciber asks. "Going to gangbang the Mudblood?"

"How dare you?!" Hermione shouts, jumping in front of Sirius as he lunges again.

"I warned you, you piece of shit," Sirius says, struggling to get past Hermione.

"Just get out of here before we curse you," Remus hisses. "Go!"

"We'll see you later," Mulciber says, wiggling his eyebrows at Hermione.

"Last chance," Peter warns, and then the Slytherin boys are gone.

"Scum," Sirius says, beginning to pace up and down the compartment. "I hate all of them so much."

"I just don't see why you let them get to you," Hermione says, sitting down next to James and slipping under his arm. "They're idiots but you don't have to rise to their bait."

"I don't understand how you can _not_ let them get to you," Sirius snaps. "He just called you a whore, Hermione, and a Mudblood."

"And the words mean nothing," she shrugs. "He's evil, he's vile, he's awful – I could not care less about his opinion of me."

"What about Lily's opinion of you?" Remus asks slyly.

"What about it?" Hermione asks indignantly. "I was nice to her today!"

"Yeah, it's not so much what you said," Remus says. "More what you did. Or what James did to you."

"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about," Hermione says, peering out of the window. "We're here – come on, we need to hurry if we want to get a carriage."

"I hate this journey," Peter says as they start pulling their trunks off the racks. "And look, it's pouring with rain _again_."

"Stop whining," Sirius says, nudging Peter out of the way. "Think about the food and run."

"Miss Granger," McGonagall says, walking down an aisle in the Great Hall. "Mr Potter."

"Hello, Professor," James says cheerily. "Good summer?"

"Fine, Potter," she says, a thin smile curving at the corners of her mouth; despite her best efforts, she cannot help but betray how much she likes him. "Will you ask all the Gryffindor seventh years to gather in the study for the Head Boy and Girl? I have a few announcements I need to make."

"Of course," Hermione says, turning to look for their friends. "Sirius, round everybody up!"

"On it," Sirius says, disappearing into the crowds and reappearing seconds later with everyone in tow. "Where are we going?"

"Up to our new study," Hermione says, wiggling her eyebrows at Sirius; he laughs and turns, plunging back into the crowds.

Around 15 minutes later, everyone is gathered, except for Remus and Lily, who are still showing the first years where to go. "What's this about, Professor?" Alice asks quietly.

"I'd rather wait until everyone is present, Miss Prewett," McGonagall says; although everyone else is sprawled around the room, she stands tall and dignified by the door.

"We can't be in trouble already," Sirius says, his legs kicked up on Hermione's desk. "We've only just got here."

"Will you get your feet down?" Hermione says, whacking him with a pillow. McGonagall looks mildly shocked, but before she can say anything, Lily and Remus have entered. Lily heads over to sit on the floor beside Cass, while Remus heads to the back of the room to stand with his back against the cabinet.

"Welcome back, all of you," McGonagall says. "There are a few things we need to discuss before term starts and I wanted to get you all together. Firstly, arrangements have been made for everyone who needs to take the apparition test again – I would hope that all of you will have passed by Halloween at the latest."

"Hard luck, Prongs," Sirius says, chucking a quill at James' head.

McGonagall ignores the laugh that goes round the room and continues, "Secondly, you are all expected to schedule appointments with both myself and Professor Dumbledore to receive careers consultation."

"What if we've already got jobs lined up?" James asks.

"What?" Lily gapes. "What do you mean, you've already got a job? We haven't even taken our NEWTs yet."

"Well, grades permitting, Hermione, Sirius and I are all sorted," James says, shrugging his shoulders. "Harold Minchum is an old friend of Dad's and he set us up with interviews over the break."

"Well, I'll need to see some sort of written confirmation of it," McGonagall says. "But otherwise, that should be fine. You'll still need to have a meeting with Professor Dumbledore though."

"Okay, thank you, Professor," Hermione says, smiling gratefully. "Was there anything else?"

"Yes," McGonagall says. "Thirdly, Professor Dumbledore and the Minister for Magic have decided that in the current climate, everyone could use…cheering up. Hogwarts is hosting a Christmas Ball, for Ministry employees, their families and all students above fifth year. He has requested that you all help organise it."

"Oh nice," Cass says. "That sounds lovely, Professor."

"Yes, well it's going to be a lot of work, and I expect you all to take it seriously," McGonagall says firmly.

"Will do, Professor," Sirius says. "We won't let you down."

"Thank you, Mr Black," McGonagall says. "Fourthly, I have already been informed about your…confrontation with the Slytherin boys on the train. I will not say this again – you are expected to behave this year, to conduct yourselves appropriately and to leave these petty feuds firmly in sixth year."

"But Professor, they-" Peter begins.

"I really have no interest in who started it, Mr Pettigrew," McGonagall says.

"But they called Hermione a Mudblood," Sirius blurts out. "And Mulciber was basically threatening to _rape_ her."

"He what?" McGonagall asks, losing her composure for the first time. "Miss Granger, is this true?"

"It's not the first time," Hermione says, rolling her eyes. "Mulciber is pure evil."

"Yeah, he said it to Lily last term too," Marlene says. "He's a real creep."

"Well if it happens again, you are to report it to the nearest Professor immediately," McGonagall says. "Sexual harassment is not tolerated at Hogwarts."

"Yes, Professor," Hermione says.

"Finally, and this is very much against my better judgment," McGonagall says, looking conflicted. "Many of you expressed an interest in joining the Order of the Phoenix at the end of last term. Now you're all of age, this is something we can seriously consider if you wish."

"Seriously?" Hermione says, thrilled. "When?"

"The group meets weekly," McGonagall says. "I seriously doubt that in this stage of your education, you will be able to contribute much. However, if you wish to be…kept in the loop, as it were, that can be arranged. I will take a list of names now."

Almost at once, everyone puts their hands up. McGonagall sighs, but nods and says, "If there's nothing else, you can head to bed."

"Actually, Professor, there is one more thing," Remus says quietly. "Anthony Bones isn't back. Did something happen to him?"

"Yes," McGonagall says. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this but Anthony's father was killed. In light of this, his mother has decided to flee the country, taking her children with her. You won't be seeing him again this term."

"So, Amelia won't be coming back either?" Sirius asks. "There goes Hufflepuff's Quidditch team."

"Sirius, that is so not the point," Hermione says, appalled.

"I was joking," Sirius says. "Has anybody spoken to them?"

"No, they've left no trace," McGonagall says sadly. "I will let you know if I hear anything else."

"Thank you, Professor," Remus says.

"Goodnight, everyone," she says, stepping out of the room.

"Okay, I have your room assignments here," Hermione says, fumbling in her pockets.

"What do you mean?" Remus says. "We're not in dorms like normal?"

"No," Hermione says. "In light of the fact that there are so few of us, I guess Professor Dumbledore decided we could have some more space. We've been paired up."

"But there are only 9 of us," Alice says, scanning the room.

"Yes, well normally the Head Boy and Girl get their own rooms," Hermione says. "But since Anthony isn't here, the boys pair up easily. So that's James with Sirius, Remus with Peter, Marlene with Cass and Lily with Alice. I'll be in my own room and there's a spare room that would have been James'."

"Oh, Mi, but then you're by yourself," Cass says sadly.

"It's not like she sleeps in her own bed anyway," Lily snipes and Hermione rolls her eyes.

"Let's not start this bullshit before the term's even started," Hermione snaps. "I'm going to bed."

"Night, Hermione," Remus says, brushing his lips over her cheek. "Come on, Wormtail, let's go check out our room."

"I'll come with you," James says to Hermione. "Night, girls."

"Oh, James, I was hoping we could talk," Lily says.

"Maybe tomorrow?" James says, throwing one arm round Sirius and the other round Hermione. "I'm pretty tired."

"Oh," Lily says, shocked. "Sure."

"Come on, titch," Sirius says, messing up Hermione's hair. "Night everyone."

After an hour of chatting, James and Sirius go into their room and Hermione prepares for bed. She climbs in, tosses and turns for about half an hour and then goes to James and Sirius's bedroom. They have charmed their beds together, to make one huge double, and are laying next to each other, close but with space in between them. She smiles fondly and wriggles into the gap; instantly they move to accommodate her. Hermione throws one leg over Sirius's chest and his arm slides around her shoulder, while James rolls so their hips are pressed together and his arm is flung over her waist.

"Couldn't sleep?" Sirius asks, and even in the darkness, she can tell he's grinning.

"Shut up," she says, snuggling into the crook of his arm. "You weren't asleep either."

"No," he says. "But I wasn't the one who made a big show of sleeping in my own room."

"He is right, Mi," James says sleepily. "We haven't slept alone for almost two years – I don't think we're going to start anytime soon."

"Tomorrow," she says, grabbing him by the wrist and pulling him even closer. "I'll sleep alone tomorrow."

"Yeah, we've heard that one before," James says, pressing his lips to her shoulder. She smiles into Sirius's arm and lifts her head, turning to meet James' lips with hers.

"I love you both," she murmurs, turning back and kissing Sirius softly.

"Love you too," they both mumble as they drift off to sleep.


End file.
